For more than 30 years, when Spaniards went to the cinema, they were obliged to watch a screening before the film: the famous NO-DO or Noticiario Español( Spanish Newsreel). Now, the Spanish Film Archive is bringing part of its archive to light with a new exhibition.
NO-DO. The world of yesterday. Image and propaganda of the Franco regime can be seen until July 23, 2026, at the headquarters on Calle Magdalena, 10, in the center of Madrid. Admission is free and it is open Wednesday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on weekends from 12:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Witness to history
NO-DO exhibition. | Editorial credit: Beatriz Velasco
The NO-DO images portrayed Spain from 1943 to 1975 in a propagandistic way. It was the only audiovisual media outlet in the country until the arrival of television and covered various celebrations of the regime, wars, disasters, sports, and curiosities.
In just 10 minutes, the newsreel was able to entertain and inform through the fascination produced by the images. It has become a privileged witness to three decades of history, and our perspective has also changed, aware of the system that created it.
A look at yesterday’s world
Exhibition and still from NO-DO. | Editorial credit: Beatriz Velasco and Filmoteca Española
The Film Library’s exhibition invites visitors to explore the world of NO-DO through screenings and images. Visitors can learn how the news was made, see the historical rigor behind the information, and experience what it was like for viewers.
Today, more than 40 years after its disappearance, NO-DO is a fundamental part of the country’s audiovisual archive. It is a window through which to reconstruct “the world of yesterday” and reflect on how our collective memory has been constructed .
There are also sections dedicated to art and women, reviewing their appearance in the newsreels. In the field of painting, Dalí stands out, when he returned to Spain as a great artist and collaborator with NO-DO. In the case of women, their representations were linked to the home and the activities of the Women’s Section.
The NO-DO chroniclers
The suitcase of a NO-DO camera operator. | Editorial credit: Beatriz Velasco
Beyond the screens and the archive, the exhibition pays tribute to those who worked behind the NO-DO cameras. Visitors can see the suitcase belonging to Gregorio Sánchez Torrijos, which accompanied him on each of his work trips.
While he was part of the founding staff, Jaime Moreno Monjas joined in 1955 as an apprentice and rose to become the director of the last edition of the newsreel. He provides a more critical view of Francoism and the role played by NO-DO.